Trail Toil Day 8-9; Trail Recon in the State Park
Friday morning I was up and on the bike at 9am. It would be a long day so I had plenty of food and water, clothes, tools and even a satellite phone packed for the day. On Wednesday, Tim, Amber and I dropped water at the Jackson Pens campsite incase I ran out…which I did. Since the trails are so remote and demanding, they don’t get a lot of visitors and are difficult for Park staff to access. That’s where I come in. My mission was to ride all the trails within the Solitario and report back to Amber and Barrett with details on the trail conditions. Sounds like my kinda work!
The Solitario, within the eastern portion of the Park, is an eroded laccolith; basically, a giant bulb of intruding rock squeezed between layers of sedimentary rock. After many, many years, the sedimentary rock eroded exposing the laccolith which later eroded and collapsed in on itself. Viewed from above, it rather looks like a giant meteor crater. This formation and its resulting geography have created a variety of terrain that will challenge a hearty mountain-biker. While the trails/roads out there are not super technical, there are many short steep rocky hike-a-bike sections(especially on the Outer Loop) that really make you work hard. Most of the dirt roads are fairly smooth and easy[and fast] to negotiate, but don’t get complacent; erosion has created a number of tricky crossings to keep things interesting. I was having a blast, riding trails I’ve not seen in many years, admiring the views and the wildlife, though not too closely…check the picture of the rattlesnake below.
All was going well until just after lunch when I got a front flat that just wouldn’t seal itself closed. Within a few minutes I had the hole plugged and was back on the bike heading north then south on the Inner Loop. From there I explored The Road To Nowhere, a deserted dirt-road that is overgrown and goes to, well, nowhere. Flying back down that hill I got another flat, this one on the rear tire. I attempted to plug the hole like I did the other, but it was just too big to take, so I had to install an inner tube. No big deal, but having problems with my pump, it took about 30mins to get going again. By then it was nearly 3:40pm and I knew I still had two hours of riding and only about 2.5hrs of sunlight.
Sometimes, planning just makes sense. As I headed north and was making my way out of the Solitario, I ran out of water. I had started with 3 litres in my camel-back and two full bottles. But after 7hours, I was dry. Fortunately, I was only 10mins away from the water left at the Jackson Pens campsite. There, I refilled my pack and headed for home, riding the Powerline Trail section of the Papalote Encino Trail we’d worked on earlier in the week. At 5:38pm and as the sun was setting, I rolled into the Sauceda Ranger Station parking lot, tired but very pleased with the day.
Well, mostly pleased. As I finished that last section of trail, I realised my Cannondale Lefty suspension fork was not rebounding properly. Really not cool since a) there was nothing I could do about it up there and b) since I had that fork overhauled by Cannondale late this summer. I am now waiting to find out if it will be covered under warranty and how I need to process that; Cannondale can be such a pain in the &$% to deal with.
With my bike rather out of commission, the plans I had made for really long rides on Saturday and Sunday were now cancelled. Instead, I decided to try a short ride/hike for Saturday. One of the trails we had considered working on was the Puerta Chilicote Trail. So, knowing it to be fairly short, I locked-out the fork on my bike and decided to take a bit of a chance.
The six miles to the trailhead were uneventful and fairly smooth dirt roads, a nice warm-up that offered some lovely views of desert, mountains and sky. Once at the trailhead, however, those dirt roads turned into very technical, rocky single-track trail; some of the best I’ve ridden down here in the Big Bend. After a mile and half I came to the top of a ravine, way too steep a foot-path to even bother riding. I left my bike shaded by a creosote, walked down, then up the other side. It was then that I was blessed with the most awe-inspiring view. Sitting on the edge of Fresno Rim, I was looking east out and over Fresno Canyon with the Solitario’s western edge, the Flat Irons, soaring out of the ground towards the sky, like giant dinner plates leaning against eachother in the drying rack. I hung out there for a couple hours; hiking, eating lunch, doing some yoga, and basically, just taking in the view. Truly, a spectacular ride, well worth the price of admission.
Because my bike was basically now out of commission, it was decided that I would drive back to the Barton Warnock Center with Barrett early Sunday morning. We left about 5:30am, enjoying empty roads and the rising sun.
The time I spent in the State Park and based out of the Sauceda Ranger Station was quite a remarkable experience and for several reasons. Typically, when I ride in the State Park, I’m riding the front country trails that are based out of the Barton Warnock Visitor Center and the East Contrabondo trailhead. Otherwise, I really only ever visit Sauceda as the half-way point of the 58mile Epic Loop where I refill my camel-back. But on this trip I explored roads and trails I’ve never seen before as well as others I’ve not ridden for several years. Sitting on that ledge high above the Fresno Canyon and with my map in hand, I gained a valuable new perspective on the trails I ride regularly and the whole geography of the region. I now feel as though I’ve got a much better mental picture of the region and the riding available therein. I can now speak with authority about what is available way up there, what the trails are like and what kind of riders would most enjoy them.
Another wonderful feature of my time spent in the State Park were the people. Tim and Amber are more than just Park employees, they are my friends. Working on those trails for hours on end, I was exposed to a loving couple who also maintain a professional dynamic while at work. I learned much about trail work and local archeology. But more importantly, I learned about them as people, and in turn, learned more about myself and who I am. We shared meals and laughs, serious conversations and light-hearted card games. They invited me into their world–both professional and personal–and I attempted to share of myself equally.
Park Manager Barrett is also more than just a State employee with a badge and a gun. He is my friend and a very decent human being. Chatting with him, both at Sauceda and during our 2.5hr drive back to Barton Warnock, I learned much about Barrett as a person and some of the intricacies of his position. He is very motivated to build more trails in the Park and promote it as a mountain-bike destination. But he also realizes the myriad intricacies that come with such an endeavour where the land and a budget must always be considered. On Sunday, after he and I rode for a few hours, we sat down to enjoy a cold frosty while chatting about family, friends, travelling, life and religion. And again, through that conversation I learned much about my friend as well as about myself.
But the Park is not run by their efforts alone, certainly not. While at Sauceda I met Uncle Gary, Juan, Jose, Victor, Carl, David, Rod and Dan. Each with their own unique set of sensibilities, they are united by a desire to live and work in the desert, away from the bustle of the city, surrounded by the grandeur of the Chihuahuan Desert.
Lastly, a striking feature of this trip for me was the wildlife. For those who have never been to the desert, you may be inclined to scoff at the notion that there exists much wildlife in such a hostile environment. But, just like the folks who live here, the desert is teaming with life; strong, resilient life. While I’ve seen many coyotes, tarantulas and havelena over the years and even recently spotted an aoudad while out riding, there are many more I’ve never seen. That was, until this trip. I finally saw a rattlesnake–debate continues as to whether it was a mojave or a diamond-back–as well as shiny black centipedes. As we finished work one day, we drove past three ferrel burros; the next day I startled three mule deers. Once you sit down and calmly take it all in, you notice all sorts of insects, large and small, including the brilliantly coloured horse lubber. Birds of all stripes make the desert home, as do the many rabbits hopping across the landscape, bested only by the speedy road-runners who dart across the roads. Driving home Sunday morning, we even followed a majestic owl that guided our route for a few hundred yards before soaring off into the darkness.
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We all have a role to play in maintaining and enhancing the natural world in which we live as well as our local environments. I for one, feel truly honoured to be called upon to provide both general labour and specific insights for the growth of this great Park. With so many motivated and dynamic people at the helm, I am confident it will continue to offer adventures to all who visit. So come out and play, I’ll take you for a ride in my State Park.
